Tarasenko helps, but Rangers will only go as far as young players allow
The New York Rangers made an upgrade on Thursday when they acquired Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues. He can help this team make another deep playoff run, but he alone cannot deliver a championship to the Big Apple.
Tarasenko will fill two critical gaps for the Rangers, as he will help offset some key offseason departures while also bringing some much-needed championship experience to a roster that is largely inexperienced.
Without question, Tarasenko playing like a 30-goal scorer will work wonders for the Rangers. However, I believe that he only helps them get back to being the team whose ceiling was the Eastern Conference Final in 2022.
If New York wants to win the Stanley Cup, that’s going to fall on the shoulders of a few different players.
Tarasenko helps, but the Rangers need their young players to step up.
Last season, the “Kid Line” was a talking point for the Rangers throughout the playoffs. Young stars like Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil were noticeable in some big moments, yet they still weren’t good enough.
The same can be said this season, at least for a couple of those players. Chytil has been the exception, as he has posted 19 goals and 14 assists for 33 points in 44 games this season. All three totals tie or exceed his previous career highs.
As for Kakko and Lafreniere, they’re both recording roughly one point every two games. Kakko has 27 points (10 goals and 17 assists) in 52 games, while Lafreniere has 25 points (eight goals and 17 assists) in 51.
That’s serviceable for guys that are playing in the bottom six, but that’s not where these individuals are supposed to be.
It’s the same story as the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs: they’re good, but that’s not good enough. The reality for the Rangers here is that these players were drafted to be great, so if New York wants to truly compete for the Cup, greatness is what they’ll need to get.
Related Story. Will Horvat regret new 8-year contract with Islanders?. light
Until all members of the “Kid Line” are great for the Rangers, this is a team that will get close but probably cannot win the Stanly Cup, even with a player like Tarasenko now on board.